When did SD last use wood spacers?

[WDeeGee]

I saw a '59 online up for grabs and the label at the back said: I1CGQ 20160220 SH1N NECK.
It seems it has a maple spacer, only the wire side is taped off.
Probably a fake?

[JamesPaul]

They're still using Maple spacers in the Seth and Antiquity. Someone will be along to comment on the '59.

[JamesPaul]

I did find this, from 2012, where 4-conductor short leg '59s have a plastic spacer. But I haven't found anything about when single conductor long leg '59s stopped using Maple spacers.

Re: The reason why maple spacers are not used on all pups?

The Pearly Gates has plastic because it's modernized with short legged baseplate and 4-conductor. That's pretty much how it breaks down.

Even the 59, it comes in long legs and single conductor with maple spacer, but we have a part number for a 4-conductor short leg 59 and that has a plastic spacer.

Someone was picking on us one time in a forum for using self-tapping screws on the 59. They posted pics and called us out that vintage pickups didn't use self-tapping screws. Turns out he had a short legged 4-conductor 59. I went and checked our assembly procedures and sure enough, the long leg 59 had standard screws!

These are the kind of details that shouldn't have an impact on the tone but cumulatively you have to just do it without questioning it. But if you want short legs and 4-conductor you're already past the point of vintage correct.

That's why we pointed out the 35th Anniversary JB/Jazz had long legs, maple, & single conductor. The rough cast Alnico magnet and butyrate bobbins are the biggest factors. Even still, there will be people who say it doesn't sound any different to them. Just like people pop in to the "old JB's are different" threads and say how they've had old and new ones and they all sound the same. I think it also has to do with those guys having well taken care of JB's that hadn't degaussed in a pickup drawer with other pickups.